Phantom of the Enclave
by East Coast Ryder
Summary: “You’ll never lose me, angel,” his voice was as a hand, slowly drawing itself down her cheek. “I’ll always be here, inside your mind.” Chapter 1 up.
1. Teaser

A/N: Well, this was kind of something that just sort of started in my mind. This is primarily just a teaser, not as much a prologue.

_The man- boy, really, he was only in his late teens (but he'd never admit it)- carefully, silently walked down the abandoned staircase to the place he'd come to call his home. He had been surprised when he found the place, for the few spacious and elegantly decorated- albeit dark and secluded- rooms which he discovered had been deserted, clearly years before if the layer upon layer of dust he had to clean off had anything to say. He had lived in this small basement for going on a year now, ever since the accident. And he had soon discovered a set of passageways that led off to other parts of the building._

_It had taken him two weeks to memorize the layout and to determine which places were useful to listen in on. Shortly after that, he'd discovered the girl. He hadn't realized at first that she was a Jedi-in-training, a _padawan_, he had learned they were called. But once he did, he finally knew where- and what- the building was. The Jedi Enclave. _

_They talked- him about the world outside, the world he longed to be a part of once more, and her about the Jedi who looked down on her because of her unique gifts- and he found it increasingly difficult to stay away from her. They'd never met in person, but there was nothing- _nothing_- that would stop him from loving her. And getting her to love him._

_Even the Jedi. Even if he had to kill every one of them._


	2. The Phantom's Game

A/N: Heya there folks, here's the frist real chapter of PotE. I figure you guys can figure out by yourselves who translates to whom between _Phantom_ and PotE, so I won't mention it. (Cookies to the first person who gets it in a review!) That being said, I intend for this to be mostly canon-following, so consider it sort of a prequel to KotOR. All that being said, this isn't a "port" so-to-speak of PotO, (especially given I can't see the Exile being a singer, and that's a sure-fire way to make a Mary Sue out of things quickly anyways) so it won't follow_ Phantom's _plot exactly.

She had never been able to sense him. Sometimes she wondered if he was even real, or if she was crazy- hearing voices in her head. She had never told anyone- not even the adorable padawan who tagged along almost everywhere she went, Mical. It was her little secret- a friend who taught her about the world outside the enclave, who taught her how to use a blaster, who would hide her little gifts on occasion- the only proof that he actually existed.

He was somehow... detached from the Force, she supposed. Every once in a while there would be a flash of emotion, numbers, or very rarely a stray thought, but he was always hidden from her until he spoke- and he only did that when she was alone.

He must be an angel. And that was what she called him in her mind- her angel. Not like the ones from Iego, but the more spiritual variety. She had heard about them in her studies of interplanetary religions- like the angels that served the gods of Alderaan or Onderon. Guides.

Kippen Saito had recently been knighted, which should have been a happy occasion, but she felt as lonely and weak as a youngling. She would have to choose an apprentice soon, and that would mean no longer being alone... No longer able to hear the angel... _Her_ angel.

"You're worried," his smooth baritone commented, floating into the room, seemingly from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. That voice- it seemed to always be able to console her, to make her weak in the knees, enveloping her in its embrace. She had long suspected that he was Force-sensitive (How else could he do these things?) Perhaps he was, or perhaps she was worse at hiding her emotions than she thought.

Kippen sighed. "I'm not supposed to have attachments," she whispered, longing to be in his arms for real. "And now that I'm a knight..." _I'm afraid I'm going to lose you, _she thought.

As though he had heard her thoughts, he chuckled, deep and resounding. "You'll never lose me, angel," his voice was as a hand, slowly drawing itself down her cheek. "I'll always be here, inside your mind."

It never ceased to amuse her that they called each other 'angel'.

"Knight Saito?" A timid, high-pitched, yet distinctly male voice came from outside her door.

She hadn't even heard the knock. Quickly, she dropped onto the bed, entering a meditation pose as though it were second nature- which it was. "Yes, Mical?"

The tow-headed padawan bowed as he entered the room, face contorted in confusion. "Who were you talking to?" Mical asked.

The lie was always somehow more difficult to say to Mical. The boy was so innocent, and it was hard to pretend that no one else was there- even if it were technically true.

"I was meditating," she said, standing almost too quickly. "Reciting some of the teachings."

He seemed to accept it, and she sensed him struggling not to fidget with his robes- which were much too small for him, he was growing so quickly! "I was just wondering if... just once more, before you take an apprentice, we could meditate in the gardens."

She stumbled, nearly falling to the cold, marble floor, her head burning with the feeling of jealousy- but someone else's. Her angel's. Mical quickly was at her side, holding her up. "Are you all right?"

"I should rest some," she lied easily. "I haven't been feeling well."

"Would you like me to call the Healer?"

Kippen smiled slightly. "I'll be fine, thank you. Just a headache."

The boy gently guided her back to the bed, and she sat down, steadying herself. "All right. If you need anything, let me know." He smiled and left the room.

The jedi took a deep breath, closing her eyes to try and clear her mind from the sudden invasion of emotion. It wasn't working. She reached out with the Force to the room around her, struggling to find the source, if it were possible.

Pain.... Her head fell forward, her arms barely able to catch it as it slumped over, filled with the weight of it, a terror that seemed unending, a jealousy that permeated her skull and wound around her entire being, echoing within her as though coming from everywhere, through her, inside her. As though her heart were turning to ice from such a simple suggestion.

"Angel?" she whispered.

But there was no response, only silence, as the emotions let her go, letting her fall into silence and emptiness.

-----

Revan Kardos skipped down the stairs with, as always, Alek following close behind, albeit more than cautiously.

"Rev, we shouldn't be here," he said.

"Kip would come with me," the older boy grinned, working the lock to the Enclave sublevel door that hadn't been used in years.

Alek rolled his eyes. "Do you know how hard it is to slice a lock in the—"

The door slid open, almost as though it hadn't been locked.

Revan turned back with a smirk. "I've been down here before, Alek," he whispered. "Did you bring the torch?"

"Who needs one when you've got a saber?"

"Point taken." The knight grabbed his and ignited it, the blue blade providing minimal illumination through the tunnel-like hallways. "Now be quiet; I think there's something down here."

"What, you didn't see it the last time you were here?" the padawan quipped, following suit with his yellow blade.

The man did not turn back. "I heard it. I'm pretty sure I scared it away last time."

"I don't sense anything."

"Nor do I. That's how I know it's there."

Alek raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The two wandered for almost an hour, eventually just shutting off the lightsabers to see if it would coax out the strange being. "Rev, there's nothing here, let's just go," the younger boy finally whispered.

"Fine, you can go then. I can handle another hour down here at least."

"I'm not leaving you down here alone."

"I'm not worried. Seriously. If Kippen were here she'd be bothering you to no end."

"And now I've got you for that. What is with you these days?" Alek hissed. "It's always 'Kip would do this' or 'Did you hear what she did today?', 'Kip this', 'Kippen' that. Revan, I'm your friend, and I always will be but Force knows what you're doing these days. You've been missing classes, hanging out with her nonstop. I think you've scared that Mical kid to death. And you've been talking about joining the war."

Revan ignited his lightsaber with a flourish. "Just go. I'm not talking about this now."

"Then when?"

"Let me have my adventure, Alek. Now that I'm a knight I won't be able to do these things anymore. Go."

The tall boy finally nodded, and made his way quickly and quietly out of the sublevel. Revan felt his friend leave the tunnels and clipped his lightsaber back on his belt, centering himself and reaching out with the Force to enhance his vision. The strange being that he couldn't sense had to be down here, there was no doubting that. And having an obvious light source was a foolish idea if the Jedi hoped to lure whatever it was out.

For a moment he stood, analyzing every small piece of rubble, every nook and cranny that he could sense for anything that could lead him to this... phantom. If sensing it directly wouldn't work, he would find an absence and follow it from there.

Something caught his inner eye, and he found himself being guided down a hallway that led to a set of downward-leading stairs. _Strange_, he thought. _Have these ever been here before?_

Was it worth it to chance using his saber? No, if he were to find whatever being was down here, he had to have some measure of surprise, because without being able to sense it, he was blind anyway.

Allowing the Force to flow through him, he took a cautious step into the darkness.

A blade- an actual, metal blade!- pressed itself against Revan's neck. "Looking for me?" A deep voice called in the darkness before Revan's consciousness faded to black.


End file.
